Maybe it was the over-abundance of dairy growing up in Wisconsin, but it never occurred to me to make my own cheese. We visited farms at school to see cheese being made, we ate cheese on a very regular basis, and by regular basis I mean daily, we grew up surrounded by dairy farms and if you were lucky enough to have friends that lived on farms? You’ve experienced a dairy farm first-hand.

When I was a (naughty) senior in high school, I stayed with a friend while her parents were out of town to “help” her with the farm chores. One afternoon during my farm stay, my brother (thankfully) warned me (via a huge Nokia cell phone) that my parents were coming to videotape me helping on a farm. As if they didn’t think I was really helping! I scurried out to the barn and started scooping hay just in time.

I’ve grown up a lot since those days, but my love for cheese has remained constant and the thought of making cheese at home is now a thrilling one! My teenage self would think that is like, so lame.

I think my Madison friends will really enjoy this recipe. It is from L’Etoile Restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin. If you are from the area, you know what L’Etoile is and what it is all about.

L’Etoile is a restaurant that focuses on supporting local farmers and artisan producers and it just so happened that this recipe was featured in a recent Bon Appétit. I always get really excited when I’ve either been to or know of a restaurant that is featured in Bon Appétit or Food & Wine. It makes me feel like I kind of know about the food world.

The recipe sounded great – I love all things curry – and because L’Etoile has such a great reputation I figured it would be a good one. I switched a few things up in the recipe, mainly because I get frustrated when recipes call for 1/2 can of coconut milk or 3/4 cup broth. I don’t want to open it, use half and then throw the rest away! Right?

But the curry, oh this curry.

It was slightly sweet, really creamy and we loved the flavor. It is definitely a warming dish, perfect for fall and winter evenings.

I definitely wouldn’t skip the roasted squash, the texture was a welcome addition to the smooth curry. Since the curry itself didn’t really contain any veggies, I served it over brown rice and steamed green beans, but your favorite vegetable would work.

Pumpkin Curry

by Emily Dingmann (adapted from L’Etoile)

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Keywords: soup/stew entree gluten-free Indian fall winter

A twist on the standard curry and a great way to enjoy it in the fall or winter!

I love big salads. They are a great way to get in tons of fresh veggies, good fats and protein and they don’t weigh you down like heavy meals can. They are energizing and always make me feel great!

In order to make a salad filling enough for a meal, though, you’ve got to be sure that you incorporate the right mix of ingredients: lots of fiber-filled fresh vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats and a combination that tastes great!

My Tips for Building a Healthy Salad:

Green Base: I like to have a few varieties of greens – something crunchy and something dark!

Hi, I’m Emily

I love simple, delicious food that happens to be healthy. And that's what I share here! My husband and I live in Los Angeles (but are both from the Midwest) and I work at an anti-hunger nonprofit. Read More…